So often, when we think about negotiating, we think of it as a win-lose proposition. We don’t want to be on the wrong side of that objective. We can all agree that a win-win is a better outcome, but how would we do that when our customer is hammering away at a price? How can we both end up satisfied with the result?

True sales professionals take advantage of every conversation and advance every sale as far as possible. The prospect might stop the sale for legitimate reasons, but YOU must NEVER stop the sale. YOU must take every sale as far as it will possibly go.

Proactive sales leaders live each day of a good market as if it is their last, and they always provide motivation when sales are down. There are lessons we can learn in a tough market that cannot be learned in a strong one.

We all have to deal with that one customer who simply does not want to give in to price negotiation. They are the relentless dealmaker. You know who I’m talking about, and I know the frustration they can bring.

Confidence is the single most underappreciated skill set of a great sales professional. A lack of confidence is a recipe for mediocrity. An abundance of confidence is evident in every top-performing sales professional.

Drive sales growth now? Let’s start with your outlook on the market. Oh, wait. Let’s not. The market is what the market is! Why not simply change the definition of “the market” and make it work on your behalf?

Delivering bad news is something we all have to do. We don’t have to like doing; I mean, who does? We’ll discuss guidelines to make this easier for you. Be quick, be honest, apologize when you need to and get that customer back on track.

Your buyers are coming through the door hearing and seeing all kinds of negative things, and thus they could be in a sour mood. The good news is you can change this mood!

The problem in a prolonged healthy market lies in what I refer to as an “entitlement mentality” from new home sales professionals. This mentality says, “If I show up for work and handle the rush of stuff that comes my way, I’ll get my fair share of sales.” It says, in a nutshell, “The market will come to me.”

In a tough market, there exists this natural tension. The buyer has a choice, and the natural byproduct of choice is that buyers want to take their time. The buying cycle gets longer. Where’s the tension? The more time they spend, the harder it is for them to decide. Long decision cycles are mentally grueling on our customers, and we don’t want that, do we?